Oct. 25 (Bloomberg) -- Shipments of rolled-aluminum
products by Japanese fabricators to domestic and overseas
markets expanded 3.6 percent in September, the third straight
month of increase, as demand from automakers recovered.

Volume rose to 164,532 metric tons last month from 158,835
tons a year earlier, the Japan Aluminium Association said in a
report today. Demand from the auto industry expanded for the
first time in 14 months as consumers rushed to buy vehicles
before the government raises the sales tax to 8 percent next
April from 5 percent, it said.

Members of the association include UACJ Corp., which was
created through the merger of Furukawa-Sky Aluminum Corp. and
Sumitomo Light Metal Industries Ltd., Japan’s largest and
second-biggest aluminum mills. Details of output, shipments and
inventories are as follows: